Former T&A champion Craig Butler faced a familiar foe in today's first qualifying round of the Regal Welsh Open.

The 27-year-old Clubhouse In Cue Gardens member met Belgium's Bjorn Haneveer at the Meadowside Leisure Centre in Burton on Trent.

Bramley-based Butler played the 25-year-old in the European Amateur Championship final at Stirling in Scotland in June 2000, and won 7-3.

However, Haneveer got his revenge last February in the final 64 of the World Championships at the Newport Centre, triumphing 10-7.

"Over the last couple of days I have been playing really well in practice," said Butler.

"If I can carry that into my match I will have a great chance of winning."

Butler is on the fringe of retaining his place on the Main Tour for 2002-03.

He said: "Things are pretty tight. I need to win a few more matches.

"My problem has been consistency, which is normally my strength. I win a few matches and then lose some."

Bradford's Wayne Cooper plays Widnes' Andrew Higginson in another first qualifying match this evening.

Stephen Kershaw returns to the Bradford billiards team for their Yorkshire Inter-District League match on Saturday against Huddersfield No 2 at Moldgreen Liberal Club (7.30).

Paul Devitt and Steve Wilman complete the side. The snooker team, who play Sheffield No 2 away at the 147 Snooker Club on Saturday (7.30pm), field an unchanged trio of Kevin Firth, Sajid Khan and Howard Mawson.

In the first round of the Bradford Snooker Championship, Howard Mawson (Regal Snooker Club) defeated Gordon Kendall (Railway Social Club), and Boover Singh (Cuedos) beat Mohammed Karolia (Bradford Snooker Club), both by 4-1.

Tony Emmott and Darren Milner (East Ward Labour Club) saw off John Smith and Mick Brand (Fairweather Green WMC) 3-0 in the first Derek Seabrook-sponsored Bradford Pairs Championship to finish.

The other five first-round matches must be completed by this weekend for next Wednesday's second round draw.